Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Hideko Udagawa and Boris Berezovsky in music for violin and piano by Khachaturian, with beguiling melodic ideas to unashamedly revel in, on a new disc from Nimbus

Aram Il’yich Khachaturian
(1903-1978)www.khachaturian.am/eng/biography.htmwas born in Tbilisi, Georgia. The son of an Armenian bookbinder, he first
studied medicine, receiving his musical education fairly late. First studying
cello and composition at the Gnessin Musical Institute, from 1929 to 1937 he
attended the Moscow Conservatory, studying under Nicolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950).
The Armenian music and culture of his childhood greatly influenced his music.

His name became known to a wider public with his piano
concerto (1936) and Violin Concerto (1940). Of his three colourful ballets the
best known are Gayaneh (1939–41) and Spartacus (1950–54). In addition to his
ballets and concertos, he wrote three symphonies, vocal and instrumental works,
works for brass band, piano works, incidental music, film scores and chamber
works.

He became a close friend of Shostakovich who later recounted
an amusing story of the occasion when both composers took part in a national
competition, in 1943, to compose a new National Anthem. Stalin ordered that the
two composers write an Anthem together, a difficult job given that the two were
so different in musical style and given Khachaturian’s enthusiasm for eating
and drinking before ever getting down to any work. They managed to patch
together an anthem but didn’t win.

A number of the works performed on this new release are
world premiere recordings.

Song Poem (1929) was
dedicated ‘in honour of the Ashugs’ or itinerant bands that plays in the
Caucasus. A piano flourish opens the piece before the violin joins in an
attractive melody tinged with the flavour of Khachaturian’s native Armenia.
There is some lovely writing for the piano and violin, particularly in the
quieter, later stages, beautifully handled by Hideko Udagawa and Boris
Berezovsky.

Dance No.1 (1925)
receives its world premiere recording here and proves to be a memorable piece
with a jaunty theme full of lovely pianistic and violinistic touches in this
lovely performance.

Another world premiere recording is Elegy (1925). Originally written for cello, in this arrangement it
is the piano that opens with a gentle motif before the violin develops the
theme, full of lovely inflections with some beautifully hushed playing from Berezovsky.
Udagawa draws much pathos from the violin part.

Dance (1926)
brings more Caucasian sounding melody with a lively rhythmic dance theme brilliantly
played by Udagawa and Berezovsky. There is a sultry central section,
beautifully realised, where hints of the violin concerto are heard. There are some
pretty virtuosic moments before the lovely coda.

Khachaturian’s Sonata
for violin and piano (1932), perhaps the most substantial work here,receives its world premiere recording.

Rather strident piano discords open the first movement Lent. Rubato ed espressivo. before the
violin provides a flowing melody, the piano retaining a somewhat more
astringent edge, before eventually giving in to the melody. Nevertheless, there
remains some dissonance between the violin and piano in this passionate
movement. There is a short cadenza before a slower section for piano where,
when the violin re-joins, is full of hints of Khachaturian’s violin concerto in
its inflections and intervals.

The much longer Allegro
ma non troppo finds both players launching straight into the direct and
forceful theme. As the movement progresses the theme is subjected to much
virtuosic variation with some beautiful textures from Udagawa as well as a fine
section for piano. The music leads through some flowing, languid passages as
well as some pretty challenging writing for both violin and piano. It has, at
times, a rather unstoppable feel as the music keeps its forward momentum. Eventually
there is a more extended cadenza brilliantly played by Udagawa. When the piano
re-joins there is no let up for the violinist as both have some pretty
demanding parts to negotiate right up to the coda.

Udagawa and Berezovsky provide a terrific premiere recording
of this interesting and attractive early work that provides many indications as
to what was to come.

Following on from these early works are a number of
arrangements of pieces from his ballet suites and the incidental music Masquerade (1940). This performance of Nocturne from Masquerade receives a
world premiere recording with some very fine playing in this effective
arrangement.

Whatever one’s view of the Sabre Dance from Khachaturian’s ballet, Gayaneh (1942), no one can say that the composer didn’t have a
gift for memorable tunes.In this
arrangement these players throw themselves into it, with Udagawa providing some
terrific violinistic effects. Some of the colour of the orchestration is, of
course, lost but this is great fun all the same with Berezovsky often providing
a terrific counterpoint to Udagawa’s vibrant playing.

The ballet contains a feast of lovely exotic melodies
including Ayesha’s Dance, a slow
lilting dance where, in this arrangement, the violin part is particularly full
of virtuosic writing. There is an exquisitely played coda.

The rhythmic Nuneh
Variation, with this arrangement billed as another world premiere
recording, has a folk style tune that receives terrific playing from Udagawa.

Finely there is a typically Khachaturian style Lullaby so beautifully played by these
two artists. Again it is remarkable how Khachaturian could summon up so many
simple, yet lovely melodies. The piece gains in power and passion midway before
the hushed coda.

Khachaturian’s last
ballet, Spartacus (1954), has an equal number of memorable tunes, not least
of which re-appears in the Grand Adagio. Before that we have the lively Dance of Aegina with some lovely little rhythmic
snaps, again brilliantly played.

The piano introduces the well-known theme of the Grand Adagio before the violin enters to
reveal it in its full glory. These two players push the melody forward without
any undue emphasis of emotion and keeping a tempo that retained its ballet
roots. Once again the benefit of Khachaturian’s colourful orchestration is
missed but these fine players make the music seem natural for these forces. Berezovsky
provides terrific playing in the dynamic piano section before the music builds
to its peroration, eventually dropping to the quiet coda with such fine playing
from both artists.

Both of these arrangements for violin and piano receive
their world premiere recordings.

This is very much a partnership of equals with Udagawa and Berezovsky
bringing out so much from this music. Such beguiling melodic ideas make for a
disc to unashamedly revel in.

They receive a close but finely detailed recording from The
Recital Hall, The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, State University of
New York, USA.

No comments:

Post a Comment

About The Classical Reviewer

The Classical Reviewer has been involved in music for many years, as a classical record distributor, as a newspaper concert reviewer and writer of articles relating to music as well as reviewing for Harpsichord and Fortepiano magazine.

He assisted in the cataloguing of the scores of the late British composer George Lloyd and has co-authored a memoir of his friendship with the composer.

Having a particular interest in British music, he regularly undertakes talks on Elgar.

All adverts on this blog are placed by Google Adsense

The appearance of the advertisements on this blog in no waysignifies that The Classical Reviewer gives endorsement or approval of any product or service advertised. The Classical Reviewer is not responsible for the content of the advertisements or any loss or damage arising from productsor services advertised.When you first visit this blog, Google Adsense advertsdisplayed on this blog may send you a cookie. A cookie is a small file that can be placed on your computer’s hard disc for record keeping purposes.You are not obliged to accept a cookie from Google Adsense,or any other web site, and may modify your browser so that it will not accept cookies at your discretion. If you do choose to accept a cookie onto your computer, you agree that all responsibility for causing your computer to perform any functions from time to time remains with you and any such functions will be deemed to have been authorised by you. Further information on the law concerning the use of cookies and how they may be removed from your system can be found at http://www.aboutcookies.org/.

Disclaimer

All data provided on this site is for information purposes only. TheClassicalReviewer makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.